Grevillea plant named &#39;GR85&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of Grevillea Plant, herein referred to by its cultivar name, ‘GR85’, is provided which forms attractive, bicolor flowers which are creamy yellow turning apricot. Grey-green colored foliage is formed. The vegetation is moderately vigorous, and the growth habit is mounding and compact. The new variety is particularly well suited for providing distinctive ornamentation in the landscape.

Botanical/commercial classification:

Latin name: Grevillea hybrid.

Varietal denomination: ‘GR85’.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new variety of Grevillea plant, botanically known as Grevillea hybrid, of the present invention originated by cross pollination in Perth, Western Australia, wherein two parents were crossed which previously had been studied in the hope that they would contribute the desired characteristics. The female parent (i.e., the seed parent) was the ‘20101113″ variety (not patented). The male parent (i.e., the pollen parent) was the ‘20091832’ variety (not patented).

The parentage can be summarized as follows:

‘20101113’ x ‘20091832’

The new cultivar was discovered and selected as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the above stated cross pollination during March 2012 in a controlled environment in Perth, Western Australia.

It was found that the new variety of Grevillea plant of the present invention possesses the following combination of characteristics:

(a) forms bicolor flowers, which are creamy yellow turning apricot,

(b) exhibits grey-green colored foliage,

(c) provides moderately vigorous vegetation, and

(d) forms mounding and compact growth habit.

The new variety well meets the needs of the horticultural industry. It can be grown to advantage as ornamentation in parks, gardens, public areas, and in residential settings. Accordingly, the plant is particularly well suited for growing in the landscape.

The new variety can be readily distinguished from its ancestors. More specifically, the ‘20101113’ variety (i.e., the seed parent) displays toothbrush shaped, single colored flowers, which are red, whereas the new variety displays cylindrical shaped bicolor flowers, which are creamy yellow turning apricot. The ‘20091832’ variety (i.e., the pollen parent) displays single colored flowers, which are white, exhibits green colored foliage, and forms an upright shrub growth habit, whereas the new variety displays bicolor flowers, which are creamy yellow turning apricot, exhibits grey-green colored foliage, and forms mounding and compact growth habit. Moreover, the new variety can be readily distinguished from other similar non-parental varieties. For example, the ‘Peaches and Cream’ variety (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,035) exhibits green colored foliage, whereas the new variety exhibits grey-green colored foliage.

The new variety has been found to undergo asexual propagation in Perth, Western Australia by terminal stem cuttings since March 2012. Asexual propagation by terminal stem cuttings in Perth, Western Australia has shown that the characteristics of the new variety are homogeneous, stable, and strictly transmissible by such asexual propagation from one generation to another. Accordingly, the new variety undergoes asexual propagation in a true-to-type manner.

The new variety has been named ‘GR85’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of this character, typical specimen of the new variety. Colors in the photographs differ slightly from the color designations cited in the detailed description, which accurately describes the colors of the new variety.

The Drawing—illustrates specimens of the inflorescence—close-up view.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is that of The Royal Horticultural Society (R.H.S. Colour Chart), London, England, 1995 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significance are used. The terminology which precedes reference to the chart has been added to indicate the corresponding color in more common terms. The color values were determined in February 2021 under natural light conditions in Folsom, Calif.

The following descriptions and measurements describe plants produced from cuttings from stock plants. The plants were grown outdoors in Folsom, Calif. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical plants.

-   Botanical classification: Grevillea hybrid ‘GR85’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary breeding seedling, Grevillea             ‘20101113’, not patented.         -   Male parent.—Proprietary breeding seedling, Grevillea             ‘20091832’, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting .—Terminal stem cuttings.         -   Root description.—Light brown in color, fine.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching, tight groupings of small             rootlets. -   Plant:     -   -   Growth habit and general appearance.—Moderately vigorous,             mounding, and compact growth habit.         -   Hardiness.—USDA Zone 8 through 11.         -   Disease and pest resistance.—Resistance to pathogens and             pests common to Grevillea has not been observed.         -   Size.—Height: Approximately 1.5 to 2.0 meters. Width:             Approximately 2.5 to 3.0 meters.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching.         -   Branch.—Strength: Strong. Quantity: One to two main             branches. Length to base of peduncle: Approximately 14.0 cm.             Diameter: Approximately 4.0 cm. Length of central internode:             Approximately 3.0 cm. Texture: Tomentose. Attitude of the             main stem to horizontal: Oblique. Cross-sectional stem             shape: Elliptical. Lateral branch aspect in terms of degrees             from the main stem: 60 to 90 degrees from stem.             Cross-section of lateral branches: Round. Color of young             stems: commonly near Greyed-Green Group 195B. Color of             mature stems: commonly near Greyed-White Group 156A. -   Foliage:     -   -   General description.—Form: Simple. Arrangement: Alternate.             Fragrance: None detected. Density: Moderately bushy.         -   Leaves.—Aspect: Acute angle to stem. Margin: Entire,             pinnatisect. Undulation of leaf margin: Leaf margins curve             downwards covering the lower leaf. Apex of lobes: Acute.             Base: Narrowly attenuate. Leaf blade shape: 6 to 10 lobed,             lobes are linear and accumulated toward the apex. Profile of             leaf cross section: Lenticular. Venation pattern: Pinnate.             Length of mature leaf: Approximately 22.0 to 23.0 cm. Width             of mature leaf: Approximately 8.0 to 9.0 cm. Texture of             upper surface: Immature leaves pubescent, becoming smooth             with maturity. Texture of lower surface: Slightly tomentose.             Pubescence color: commonly near Greyed-White Group 156D.             Color of upper surface of young foliage: commonly near             Greyed-Yellow Group 162B. Color of lower surface of young             foliage: commonly near Greyed-Orange Group 163B. Color of             upper surface of mature foliage: commonly near Green Group             138A. Color of lower surface of mature foliage: commonly             near Yellow-Green Group 148D, indistinguishable venation.         -   Petiole.—Length: Approximately 4.0 to 6.0 cm. Width:             Approximately 1.0 to 2.0 mm Texture: Appears smooth. Color:             commonly near Green Group 138B.         -   Stipule.—Arrangement: Dorsal node only. Texture: Pubescent             brown orange Shape: Linear. Length: Approximately 1.0 to             2.0 cm. Width: Approximately 1.0 mm. -   Flower:     -   -   Flowering habit.—Freely flowering habit under outdoor             growing conditions with substantially continuous blooming.         -   Lastingness of individual inflorescence on the             plant.—Approximately 2 to 2.5 weeks.         -   Sequence of flower opening.—Acropetal.         -   Color.—Upon opening: commonly near Red Group 44B. When fully             opened: commonly near Orange-Red Group N34A. When fading:             commonly near Orange-Red Group -   Inflorescence:     -   -   General description.—Type: Raceme. Self-cleaning. Shape:             Secund conflorescence. Aspect: Facing upwards and outward.             Arrangement: Terminal and from leaf axils. Attitude of tepal             limb in relation to the longitudinal axis of the flower bud:             Upright. Fragrance: none detected. Quantity per plant:             Approximately 5 to 10 flowers at a time. Inflorescence             Diameter: Approximately: 8.0 cm. Inflorescence Depth:             Approximately 12.0 cm.         -   Bud.—Rate of opening: Generally, takes 6 to 8 days for bud             to progress from first color to fully open floret.         -   Bud just before opening.—Shape: Globular. Diameter:             Approximately 3.5 mm. Texture of outer surface: Tomentose.             Pubescence color: commonly near Greyed-Yellow Group N161A.             Color: commonly near Greyed-Green Group 194B.         -   Florets.—Quantity per inflorescence: Approximately 120             to 130. Arrangement: Primarily in pairs. Length:             Approximately 3.0 mm. Diameter: Approximately 7.0 mm.         -   Perianth.—Shape: Tubular with a ventral limb, becomes             revolute during anthesis. Length: Approximately 10.0 mm.             Diameter at widest point: Approximately 7.0 mm. Diameter as             base: Approximately 4.0 mm. Color on the bud: commonly near             White Group 155C. Hairiness of perianth: Slightly pubescent.             Perianth coherence of tepals on the dorsal side: One third             to two thirds.         -   Tepals.—Quantity: 4. Shape: Linear. Margin: Entire. Apex:             Acute. Length: Approximately 10.0 mm. Width: Approximately             3.0 mm. Texture of outer surface: Tomentose. Texture of             inner surface: Glabrous. Color of outer surface when fully             open: commonly near Green-Yellow Group 1C. Color of inner             surface when fully open: commonly near Red Group 38B.         -   Peduncle.—Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect. Length:             Approximately 1.5 cm. Diameter: Approximately 2.0 to 2.5 cm.             Texture: Tomentose. Color: commonly near Yellow-Green Group             144D.         -   Rachis.—Strength: Strong. Length: Approximately 9.0 to             10.0 cm. Diameter: Approximately 3.0 mm. Texture of outer             surface: Tomentose. Color: commonly near Yellow-Green Group             144A.         -   Pedicel.—Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect. Length:             Approximately 1.0 mm. Diameter: Approximately 2.0 mm.             Texture of outer surface: Tomentose. Pubescence color:             commonly near Yellow-Green Group N154C. Color: commonly near             Yellow-Green Group 146D.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Anthers located within             perianth limb and basally attached to perianth. Anther             quantity: 4 per floret. Anther Shape: Bilobed. Anther             length: Approximately 1.0 mm. Anther color: commonly near             Greyed-Orange Group 164C. Pollen amount: Sparse. Pollen             color: commonly near Greyed-Orange Group 163A. Attitude of             pollen presenter to style: Lateral. Gynoecium: Stigma             functions as a pollen presenter holding pollen for             pollinators to remove until stigma matures becoming             receptive to cross pollination. Nectary located at base of             ovary. Pistil quantity: 1 per flower. Pistil length:             Approximately 3.0 cm. Stigma shape: Funnel. Stigma length:             Approximately 1.0 mm. Stigma color: commonly near             Greyed-Yellow Group 160D. Style length: Approximately             3.0 cm. Style color: commonly near Greyed-Yellow Group 161C.             Curvature of the style: Curved, eventually erect. Hairiness             of the style: Smooth. Distribution of style hair: Not             applicable, smooth style. Ovary length: Approximately             1.0 mm. Ovary texture: Tomentose. Pubescence color: commonly             near White Group 155A. Ovary color: commonly near             Greyed-Yellow Group 162A. Nectary size: Less than 1.0 mm in             length and 1.5 mm in width. Nectary color: commonly near             Yellow-Green Group 145C.         -   Seed and fruit production.—Neither seed nor fruit production             has been observed.

Plants of the ‘GR85’ variety have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotypic expression may vary somewhat with changes in light intensity and duration, cultural practices, and other environmental conditions, without, however, any variance in genotype. 

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct Grevillea Plant characterized by the following combination of characteristics: (a) forms bicolor flowers, which are creamy yellow turning apricot, (b) exhibits grey-green colored foliage, (c) provides moderately vigorous vegetation, and (d) forms mounding and compact growth habit; substantially as herein shown and described. 